Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, once a member of President Trump’s inner circle of advisers, has reached a plea deal with the Special Counsel investigating foreign meddling in the 2016 elections in which he admits to lying to the FBI about his backchannel conversations with the Russian ambassador. The general told confidants about his decision to plead guilty in the last 24 hours, according to people close to Flynn, who say the former adviser feels President Trump has abandoned him and has agreed to answer questions about the president or anyone else.